Exploring the World of the Ancient Greeks

Exploring the World

by John M. Camp, Elizabeth A. Fisher

^T Ancient Greeks
^Aby John Camp ^DThe ancient Greeks set out from their mountainous land at the end of the Balkan peninsula to colonize and settle almost all the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. These remarkable people have left their imprint on virtually every aspect of modern politics, theater, art, philosophy, medicine, architecture, and athletics.

Here is their story, told within its historical and cultural framework. The eastern Mediterranean has always been a point of contact and conflict between East and West, and the book relates how the Greeks interacted, both peaceably and otherwise, with the surrounding culturesùMinoans, Phoenicians, Lydians, Persians, and Romans. Herodotus began his account of the Persian Wars in the fifth century BC by saying that the trouble started 700 years earlier, with the events leading up to the Trojan War. Over time the struggle surged back and forth across the Greece against Troy, Greek migration and settlement in Asia Minor, Persian invasions of Greece, Alexander's conquest of Asia, Roman intervention in the Greek world.


The world of the ancient Greeks is presented here in chronological order, from the Bronze Age to the Christian era, a span of some 3,500 years. Athens plays a large role, but other Greek cities are given much closer attention than in standard accounts. Individual chapters look at the Greeks and their gods, and Greek art and architecture. The result is a sweeping and authoritative survey of a culture that made an unparalleled contribution to the rise of Western civilization. 280 illustrations and phtotographs, 90 in color.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Greece, Education

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

John Camp is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Classics at Randolph-Macon College. He received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1968, and his M.A. (1972) and Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology (1977) from Princeton University. He has worked in the Athenian Agora since 1966, first as an excavator, later as assistant director, and now as the director, which he became in 1994.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was assigned for a first year university class. While the text book is abundant in information set side by side with pictures, diagrams, and other visual aids, it is a little juvenile. It was not the right choice for a university level class on Greek history; it would have been better suited to a high school or even middle school history class.

[Tiffmoney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great overview, not much depth.
Good for quick fact reminders and pictures.

[Amy Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a textbook, haha.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history on the architecture alone is worth the price of admission for this book. The more I read, the more I love. If you are into ancient history this is a must read. From the Mycenaean World to the Educational and Philosophy intellectual life, this is a fascinating read. Highly Recommended.

[Sally H.]

Very interesting ancient Greek history, read before our Smithsonian Journey "Voyage to the Land of Gods and Heroes" with Ramsey